Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 February 2022 | 14(2): 20686–20688

 

ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) 

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7545.14.2.20686-20688

#7545 | Received 27 June 2021 | Final received 15 January 2022 | Finally accepted 31 January 2022

 

 

 

Melastoma imbricatum Wall. ex Triana (Melastomataceae): a new addition to the flora of Manipur, India

 

Rajkumari Jashmi Devi 1, Deepashree Khuraijam 2, Peimichon Langkan 3  & Biseshwori Thongam 4

 

1–4 Plant Systematic and Conservation Laboratory, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Takyelpat, Imphal West, Manipur 795001, India.

1 rajkumjas@gmail.com, 2 deepashreekhuraijam@gmail.com, 3 apeilangkan637@gmail.com,

4 b_thongam07@yahoo.com (corresponding author)

 

 

 

Editor: K. Haridasan, Palakkad, Kerala, India. Date of publication: 26 February 2022 (online & print)

 

Citation: Devi, R.J., D. Khuraijam, P. Langkan & B. Thongam (2022). Melastoma imbricatum Wall. ex Triana (Melastomataceae): a new addition to the flora of Manipur, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 14(2): 20686–20688. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7545.14.2.20686-20688

 

Copyright: © Devi et al. 2022. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.  JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.

 

Funding: Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India

                (Project No. BT/01/17/NE/TAX).

 

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Acknowledgements: We express our gratitude to Prof. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal, India. We are also grateful to Forest Department of Manipur, local communities and all our laboratory members.

 

 

 

Manipur is one of the northeastern states of India lying between 94.31–94.78 E longitudes and 23.83–25.68 N latitude.  The state is bounded by upper Chindwin areas of Myanmar in east, Cachar hills of Assam in west, Naga Hills of Nagaland in the north and Chin hills of Myanmar in the south. The state is also a part of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot.

The genus Melastoma of family Melastomataceae is distributed in southeastern Asia, India, southern China, Japan, northern Australia, Oceania, and Bangladesh. It was reported to comprise about 100 species (Chen 1984), however recent taxonomic revision recognized 22 species (Meyer 2001). While in flora of British India (Vol 2), the genus is represented by six species, viz., M. malabatricum, M. polyanthum, M. normale, M. imbricatum, M. sanguineum, and M. houtteanum (Hooker, 1889), in flora of Manipur (Vol 1), it is represented by two species, viz., M. malabathricum and M. normale (BSI 2000). And three species were recorded in flora of Assam (Vol 2), viz., M. malabathricum, M. normale, and M. imbricatum (Kanjilal et al. 1938). Among the three species reported from northeastern region (NER) of India, M. normale is now designated as Melastoma malabathricum ssp. normale (D.Don) K. Meyer.

A field survey was carried out at Ukhrul district, Manipur during the month of April 2021. A plant was collected from Lambui (25.015N, 94.294E), Ukhrul district, Manipur which looked similar to M. malabathricum. In flora of Manipur (2000), M. malabathricum was reported from Sirohee, Imphal, and Uchathol in Manipur. However, the leaves were found to be broader with longer petiole. The plant specimen was brought to Plant Systematic and Conservation Laboratory, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal, India for proper identification. With the help of floras (Hooker 1889; Kanjilal et al. 1938; Wu et al. 2007), and Literatures (Meyer 2001), the plant specimen was identified as Melastoma imbricatum Wallich ex Triana of family Melastomataceae using distinct characters such as hypanthium covered with short appressed golden scales; petiole 1.8–6.5 cm, lamina strigose on both sides, leaf blade broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, 5.5–13.5 cm wide; ovary as long as hypanthium. The herbarium specimen was deposited at Plant systematic and Conservation Laboratory, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Imphal, India under the voucher number PSCL/C1SP7-35. Since no previous report was found on distribution of M. imbricatum in Manipur, India, the present study reports it as a new addition to the flora of Manipur, India. A brief description and colour illustration of the species is provided (Image 1).

 

Keys to species

1a. Branches covered with scales; hypanthium covered with appressed or slightly spreading golden to red scales; bracts not enclosing the flowers; petiole 0.5–1.9 cm; leaf surface not bullate; leaf blade ovate, elliptic, or elliptic-lanceolate, 1.7–3.5(–6) cm wide; ovary shorter than hypanthium ......... 2

2a.    Branches scaly; lamina strigose to slightly pilose below …......................................  M. malabathricum

2b.    Branches pilose; lamina pilose below  …...........…  ............................................................. ssp. normale

1b. Branches covered with appressed scales; hypanthium covered with short appressed golden scales; petiole 1.8–6.5 cm; bracts not enclosing the flowers; leaf surface not bullate, lamina strigose on both sides, leaf blade broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, 5.5–13.5 cm wide; ovary as long as hypanthium ……………………….............  M. imbricatum

 

Taxonomy description

Melastoma imbricatum Wall. ex Triana, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 28: 60 (1871).

Hooker J.D. Fl. of British India 2: 524.1889; Kanjilal et al. Fl. of Assam 2:299. 1938.

Shrubs, 1 m high. Stems quadrangular, with appressed scales. Leaves broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, 9–11.2 cm × 4.7–5 cm, acute at apex, entire along margin, rounded at base, strigose on both sides, secondary veins two on each side of midvein, tertiary veins numerous and parallel. Petioles 1.5–1.9 cm long. Inflorescences terminal, 8–10 flowered, with two leaf-like bracts at base, overtopped by young branches. Bracts obovate, 1 × 0.4 cm, covered with small appressed scales outside, glabrous inside. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels 1 cm, strigose; Hypanthium campanulate, 1 × 0.6 cm, covered with short appressed golden scales, 1.2 mm; Calyx triangular, lanceolate 1.12 × 0.2 cm, covered with small appressed scales outside, glabrous inside. Petals violet, obovate, 1.5–2 × 7–10 mm; stamens dimorphic; longer stamens, connective at base 8 mm, ventrally curved, two appendages, 1.5 mm; filaments 6 mm long; anthers 7 mm long, violet; shorter stamens with connective not extended; filaments 5 mm long, two appendages 1 mm long; anthers 6 mm long, yellow. Ovary as long as hypanthium, half inferior, densely bristly at apex. Fruit and seed not seen but noted fruit as a fleshy capsule, rupturing irregularly transversally at maturity exposing soft pulpy orange seeds (Meyer 2001).

Flowering: April–July

Fruiting: Not seen but noted as February to March or December (Flora of China 2007)

Vernacular name: Yachubi (Manipuri)

Distribution: Southeastern Asia, India, southern China, Japan, northern Australia, Oceania (Meyer 2001) and Bangladesh (Uddin 2019)

 Habitat: Occurs in disturbed forests and along river banks up to 2,000 m.

Specimen examined: PSCL/C1SP7-35, India, Manipur, Ukhrul, Lambui, 25.015N, 94.294E, 1,420 m, 14.iv.2021 (Image 2).

 

 

For images - - click here

 

 

References

 

B.S.I. (2000). Flora of Manipur. Volume – 1 (Ranunculaceae - Asteraceae). Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata, India.

Chen, J. (1984). Melastomataceae, pp. 152–162. In: Chen, C., H. Chang, R. Miau & T. Hsu (eds.). Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae.Science Press, Beijing, 314 pp.

Hooker, J.D. (1889). The Flora of British India – Vol 2. L. Reeve & Co., Ashford, Kent, 524pp.

Kanjilal, U.N., P.C. Kanjilal & A. Das (1938). Flora of Assam – Vol. 2. Assam Government Press, Shillong.

Meyer, K. (2001). Revision of the Southeast Asian genus Melastoma (Melastomataceae). Blumea 46(2): 351–398.

Uddin, M.Z. (2019). Rediscovery of Melastoma imbricatum Wallich ex Triana in Bangladesh. International Journal of Plant and Environment 5(2): 137–139.

Wu, Z.Y., P.H. Raven & D.Y. Hong (2007). Flora of China – Vol. 13 (Clusiaceae through Araliaceae). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.